Spark plug tool



A Aug. 25,1931. w. P. PRINGLE l SPARK PLUG TOOL Filed Ot. 4, 1928 Innen/6er: MMR/B Prc'vze Patented Aug. 25, 1931 UNITED sTATssl WILLIAM?. PRINGLE, or WASH;hieruit.V nrsrnreroroorumm i SPARK `rune iTroon 'l Application iledrOctober 4, ,"Serialflvlo'.V 310,32?. I

This invention relates to a combined tool for use inconnection withfspark yplugs of in` ternal combustion engines, and aims toprof-r vide a 4cleaning element adapted to thor-y 5 oughly remove all carbon deposits and other foreign matter from the inner surface of the shell and outer surface of the center porce-y lain, including the crevice at the junctionbe*V tween said shell andporoelain, and includ- M) ing the under surface of the shell flange. Other aims of the invention are to provide a gauge by which the air gap between the spark plug points may be readily measured, andv afile for usein dressing said points.

vention will be apparent from the following specication and accompanying drawings, which represent a preferred illustrative embodiment thereof. f

In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer -to similar parts throughout,

Fig. lis anielevation of one side of my improved tool, also illustrating in partial sec-k tion so much of a spark plug as is Ynecessary to show its application to the cleaning operation; and p Fig. 2 is an elevation ofthe opposite side ofthe tool.

My .improved tool, which isvp'referably rmadeffrom an integralpiece of steel. about 3/64: of an inch thick, consists of acleaning element or head 1 connected bya neck 2 to a handle 3 of greater width, this handle being V'again reduced atthe opposite end asy at 4 and f terminatingin a gauge disk 5.@ The handle 'on either side.

The yhead is of elongated triangular shape having one edge 7, in the-present embodiment,

The other edge 8 is inclined thereto at an angle, forming a long narrow sha-rp point 9.

The neck 2 is somewhat narrower than the in illustrated, beingapproximately equal in 5i) length, to the yedge 7 and the edge 12 continu- Further objects and advantages of inmay be provided with a file section, such as 6,

on or paralleltothe center line of the tool.

ing backward as at 13, forniii'igv onefedgefofl the handle 3. An linelined"edge 14, directed backward and 'outward,'and joining yan edge '15 I'jarallel to the edge'lfbrinlgsthe to its" full'width# l f' The head andy neck andtheir'varions'elevments are. so proportioned as tolitint ar f spark plug in the manner shown if; Fig. "1, and it is to be unf'lersttmd that they maybe so shapedand Vvaried in their dimensions'ahd'o kproportions as`t`o `operate upon. any :spark plug of unusualsizebr shape 'without depart-` ing-f-ron'the 'spirit'ofn'y invention.

,In operation, to clean a sparkplugthe itfool is turned sideways` to admit "thelieadl` 2.5

between the porcelain 16.-and the end flange 17 of afspark *plug shell 18. The toolis then turned into a tangential-or radial position,

v as shown in F ig. 1, bringing the shoulder 10 against the inner side of the flange 17 and '.G the edge 7 against the inside of the shell 18, after which the interior surfaces are scraped inobvious manner. I To clean the carbonv from the. anglebetween the Vporcelain and vthe shell, the tool Vis moved inward, bringing 75 the point 9y into this angle or crevice, thelength'of the neck 2'being suflicient to allow such movement. The porcelain itself is scraped by the edge 8, which is shaped to con-r form to a porcelain of standard make. vThe es handle may be either smooth, as shown in llg. y1, or mayinclude an abrasive portion,

such as file teeth or the like, as shown at` 6in Fig. 2. The use of the file and ofthe gauge portion 5 is so obvious as to require no fure5' ther description.

. It is to be understood tliatI do not limitA i. l

myself to the exactl form .of my invention of general triangular outline, including a long narrow sharppoint adaptedl to` reach to the bottom of the spark plug air space,

, the oppositey end of vsaid head comprising a shoulder adaptedtol engage the under surf face `of a plugshell ilange, an edge between` vthe ypoint of said shoulder, and the point of said-head adapted to scrape the inside of ja i Shell, a neckhaving'one side inastraight line i00` parallel to the side of said head adjacent said shoulder, said neck being of such Width as to be operable bet-Ween the inner rim of said flange and the center porcelain.

5 2. A spark plug cleaner consisting of apiece of material comprising a handle portion terminating at one end in a cleaning head, said cleaning head being connected to said handle by a neck of reduced Width, said 10 head tapering to a point, and having one straight and one scraping edge inclined with reference thereto, said straight edge being offset from said neck by a short perpendicular edge forming a shoulder, said shoulder being l5 in line with the juncture of said inclined edge Withsaid neck. a

3. A combination spark plug tool comprising a piece of substantially flat material l formed into a head, a neck, alhandle joined 20 to said head b said neck, the edges of said neck and of said handle and one edge of said head lying in parallel lines, the other edge of said head diverging from said first edge at an acute angle, thereby forming an elongated point, and joining one edge of said neck `at the rear of said head, another edge at the rear of said head directed perpendicularly to the first mentioned edges of said neck, forming a shoulder.

5J In testimony whereof, have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM P. PRINGLE. 

